The Federal Government has confirmed 174 cases of COVID-19 recorded in Nigeria, as of today, 2nd April 2020.
The Honorable Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire disclosed this at a ministerial press briefing on COVID-19. He stated that 91 are in Lagos, 35 in FCT, 14 in Osun, 8 in Oyo, 5 in Akwa-Ibom, 4 each in Ogun , Edo, and Kaduna, 3 in Bauchi, 2 each in Enugu and Ekiti and 1 each in Rivers and Benue States.
He revealed that nine persons had been discharged till date while two deaths had occurred due to severe underlying illnesses aggravated by their COVID-19 infection.
Speaking further, Dr Ehanire said “Yesterday, we had the highest number of new confirmed COVID-19 cases and we are speedily ramping up testing capacity for the disease in Nigeria” He added that, the national testing capacity is now 1,500 a day, more samples can be tested and quickly too with a turn-around time of 12-48hrs from when the samples are received. This he said is due to the addition of two laboratories to the NCDC network of molecular laboratories, the Virology Laboratory of University College Hospital Oyo State and Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki (FETHA), Ebonyi State.
The Minister also informed that bedding space had also been expanded in University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada and across the country and urged other states to prioritize identification of same within their states particularly tertiary hospitals.
Dr Ehanire noted that all facilities where isolation and treatment of coronavirus are to be conducted will be inspected for accreditation by a team from NCDC, Federal Teaching Hospital Irrua and headed by the Hon. Commissioner for Health of Lagos State including the Office of the National Security Adviser. He hinted that facilities in Abuja are currently been inspected.
The Honorable Minister stated also that ad-hoc staff and Port Health Authority staff had been redeployed to support various areas of response at the airports and to key roads that serve as key entry and exit points.
Health Minister urged the public to stay at home as a lot of effort and structures had been put in place by government. This he encouraged will determine the success in slowing the spread of the infection in the country.
Enefaa Bob-Manuel
DD (Information)
Head Media and Public Relations Unit
